You can take Rahul out of Pappu but not the Pappu out of Rahul

A Rahul Gandhi who hugs his inner Pappu is Narendra Modi’s clear challenger and target for 2019.

This Friday’s debate on the Opposition’s no-confidence motion answers several questions. First, should the Opposition let the BJP make it a Narendra Modi versus Rahul Gandhi election in 2019, or fight it state by state? Rahul has himself made it a direct contest with Modi now.

Second, should the BJP even worry about Rahul? The truth is BJP has never not taken him seriously. One “suit-boot” remark from him changed the political economy of the Modi government. More evidence came as this session began. The BJP may insist its retreat on the RTI Act amendments had nothing to do with Rahul’s opposition, but it is unlikely that anybody will be convinced, except doting Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.

After this debate, the BJP will shed any remaining doubts as to who is their man to attack. By the time you read this column, the BJP would have fielded its warrior army to assert how Rahul doesn’t matter. It will mean exactly the opposite. If you are disdainful of somebody, you ignore, not obsess over him.

Third, will Rahul ever show political commitment needed for a serious challenger, at least to his followers, if not the BJP? The answer comes in his performance today. It is a yes.

He has risen in stature as the pre-eminent leader of the opposition in a Parliament where his party is too tiny to even have a formal Leader of Opposition. With this, Rahul has also staked a claim to the leadership of the pre-eminent anti-Modi front in the next elections.

And fourth: Has Rahul now shed his “Pappu” image? In his speech he said he didn’t mind if he was called Pappu, but his party would like to believe that he is over with that image. We’d argue that he hasn’t. You can take Rahul out of Pappu, but not quite the Pappu out of Rahul. Or he wouldn’t have winked in that youthful (rivals would prefer ‘juvenile’) triumph.

It isn’t such a bad thing to be your cheeky self, even a little impertinent in a political world filled with lecturing and hectoring “grand uncles” and “aunties”. It may not be such a liability to be Pappu-ish. The electorate is young, and the young get bored with constant sermonising.

Who won the debate is now irrelevant. Because Modi is a champion orator, a master of the set-piece and at his brilliant best when on the offensive (ever seen him on the defensive?). But, a maximum of eight months before his government becomes caretaker, debating victories or defeat mean little. The important thing is that he now has a clear rival and target. His supporters can no longer complain that Modi is fighting an amorphous, secular-liberal ‘khap’ with no votes or stakes but hyperactive social media handles and an exaggerated dominance of the commentariat. His opponents have now moved a challenger in the ‘akhada’ and the bout is all set.

His party will say this is precisely what they wanted. But they would’ve been surprised by the clarity and aggression with which Rahul stated his intent.

In his vicious attack on the prime minister, Rahul’s repeated invocation of “daro mat” (don’t be afraid) and then stooping to hug, he took a big risk in playing to his much stronger rival’s strengths: The craft of oratory, and of course the art of extravagant hugs. Ju-jitsu is great when you are playing real Ju-jitsu or as a metaphor in fiction. In hard politics, it can be suicidal.

If you decide to approach politics as a contact sport, you must remember the BJP and Modi are deans of the school where you might be a mere upstart pupil. But then, in the battle for headlines and highlights, where warriors search desperately for that one key moment, you have to take risks. Rahul has taken the biggest in his 14-year political life by taking the war to Modi’s turf. He has won this skirmish on points if not a knock-out.

Rahul’s supporters, however, need to be sobered by facts. Winning a few debating points does not change political realities, to begin with, of the 325-126 vote in Lok Sabha. He is still a long way from becoming a credible threat to Modi. He has no electoral victory under his belt as yet. Response to his campaign rallies has improved but is nowhere close to Modi’s or even to the many state leaders — from Mamata to Mayawati, Akhilesh to Lalu/Tejashwi and Naveen Patnaik to Telangana’s K. Chandrashekar Rao. His party now rules one-and-a-half major states (Karnataka being the half). It is starved for resources. By the time the campaign begins, it is likely that most of his partymen and family members will be running around the courts answering “corruption” charges. That’s where his “daro-mat” rallying call came from. In 2019, his challenge will be akin to a team starting its second innings with a first innings deficit of almost 230 (44 versus 270 or so). There is no evidence of a shift in the “hawa” that such a deficit can be covered.

The real takeaway, therefore, isn’t that Rahul has risen. He hasn’t yet and has a long way to go. He has only emerged, been unveiled or, to use the description TV channels would prefer, come of age. There have been doubts about his commitment and focus. With frequent disappearances and holidays, he has built an image of flakiness. His partymen would never dare tell him this, but they worry and often feel rudderless, asking if their boss is really in it full-time. This Parliament should help answer those doubts, though more evidence will be needed going ahead.

Next, he has revealed a style very different from his mother’s. So far, she and her party had treated the post-Vajpayee BJP with contempt, an enemy and Modi as an untouchable. It suited Modi fine as he’s an instinctive fighter. Searching for metaphors in stray events can be tricky. But just a decade ago, Sonia Gandhi was calling Modi “maut ke saudagar” (a trader of death). Modi paid back in kind, Jersey cow, calf and all. Now Rahul went down to hug him, saying he loved him. Nobody is so naive as to believe he meant it. But sarcasm in politics is way less offensive than abuse or untouchability.

Similarly, he has also gone against his party’s grain by so readily handing over chief ministership to junior partner JD-S in Karnataka. He would go and hug Modi, pretend to even love him, but his politics now is clear: Anybody but Modi. And never mind if it isn’t me.

It is early to say how this will influence politics in this election year. But much ambiguity is removed and battle-lines drawn. On a minimalist plane, hopefully this lively new Parliamentary beginning will result in a more productive session. There is much legislative work to do before campaigning begins for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram.

32 COMMENTS

Shekhar Gupta , a senior journalist , ( as per his stint in journalism) is an out and out Modi-sycpophant , please stop writing , like Rakesh Sinha scout for a BJP nomination for some seat either in Parliament or outside!!

Its very strange of you as a journalist. The article has no substance for general public, betterment of India, but a futile attempt to launch Rahul Gandhi by these journalist. They are seeing speck of hope in him. I have seen the whole debate yesterday and if this is your analysis, then better I not mince my word to say ypu don’t deserve to be a journalist but a article writer for Congress magazine. This is no fighy between that stupid fellow and our PM. He is such a disgrace that a friend nation France has to stand up against his lie and you are finding match. Eager to know your motivation.

It is refreshing to see childlike spontaneity and to call this being Pappu is in my opinion touching surface.
Rahul has years ahead of him unlike Narendra Modi to bring in change in his approach and style .
I would have liked him to be Pappu and ask questions in a direct way.
The question on Raffle deal could have been on price of aircraft? on why HAL head was not taken and an industrialist was taken? It’s everybody’s money and PM can not keep it away from people. If UPA made a so called mistake, PM could have corrected it.
On mob lynching he could have asked if PM has no control over his ministers or he himself is leading by directing his ministers to garland lynch mob.

PM hugs all the leaders world over but has never hug a Kissan or a Jawan, because they do not wear a suit and boot?

Jay Shah example was correct but he could have challenged him by stating that PM will avoid the answer .

As predictable, there are many journalists praising Rahul’s speech and many are still not impressed.

How are common people taking his speech? How much was his speech effective to impress Indian and find some truth in his allegations for Modi government?

He may have improved his delivery style but most Indian still not find any real substance or kind of sincerity in his speech. Its like motionless an actor who delivers given speech without any real action.

He spoke about Rafel with by saying there has not any ‘secrecy law’ in a deal. Now even 10th standard students who know little about politics know that there are secrecy law. So, who is going to believe his allegation when primary lines are based on lies. People would have believe him only if he has given some kind of proof about who benefited by so called corruption in deal or how deal has broken rules & process? He didn’t say anything about it but said he was told by France President about ‘no secrecy law’. Again its 10th student knowledge that in any kind of agreement, what is important that has written & signed on agreement and not what people / person says in TV interview or private meeting. So hardly any one believes about his allegations.

He spoke about 250000 crores loan wavier for businessmen. Again either he doesn’t know the difference between ‘Waved-off’ and “Written-off”‘ or believes common Indian fools that whatever he says, people will believe him…!

His speech would have been more impressive if he had come out with some solid figures, data of UPA and had compare it with current NDA govt’s data. Without any data, whatever you say. may looks good on TV or praised by Lutiyent Journalists, it has almost zero effects to common people. Whatever he said in parliament, same thing he has been repeating since 2014 Maharashtra election and most election Congress has lost means majority of people are not believing in him. He wasted good opportunity to score before 2019 election campaign. Only few journalists would praised him and find hero in him.

For the last 14 years there has been a persistent effort to claim “Rahul Gandhi has arrived”. This article is one more blatant attempt at it and Indian people are no longer fooled by it. In your other articles, you lament on how civil debates in Parliament are thing of the past but are quick to dismiss Modi’s oratory “who won the debate is now irrelevant. Because Modi is a champion orator”. Such media bias has what led people to believe when Donald Trump successfully spins the narrative of Fake News and why Rajkumar Hirani can wash all of Sanjay Dutt sin’s, make 300+ crores.

It is very hard to accept that an aspiring PM and an aspiring leader of opposition ( formal post which govt is not willing to give) had to be reminded by the speaker to adhere to set norms and rules of parliamentary debate. It was in fact a matter of pity that words and sentences of both of them were required to be expunged and Mike had to be silenced for both of them as they did not stop in spite of several reminders by speaker to conclude. An eminent parliamentarian can say every thing to an opponent provided he has the knowledge of the rules and command over words and language. Entire debate of yesterday barring some exceptions was very poor in substance and contents. Speaks poor of our democracy.

Hugging PM and then winking was really a pappu moment for yesterday debate. You can not take out pappu from RG and that will always remain with him as part and parcel. Sad part is that he is the projected PM candidate for not only his own party but some section of so called intelligent liberal media persons too. Democracy is in real danger if opposition is unable to find a matching suitable PM candidate and a cohesive opposition conglomerate to take the ruling regime.

Yes Guptaji, I like your saying. It is not at all a bad thing to be your cheekiself. It is actually beneficial to be puppuish, in taking on the grand uncles and uncles. I for one think you have long since joined the Club oj Grand Uncles in the world of journalism.

So, beginning this essay, are you trying to project your journalistic cheekiself and puppuish faculty?

Notwithstanding the benign, almost reverent, analysis of the Scion thirsting for the gaddi, one is bemused by the perceived fallout as theorised.
For one, ‘handing over’ Karnataka was a necessity nothing more. Congress opted for the sole option. If BJP cries ‘Congress mukt Bharat’ then the Queen’s court secretly mouths, ‘ Modi mukt Bharat’, not necessarily BJP mukt. The relentless drive to annihilate every rancid arm of the octopus that feeds the dynasty has put the fear of extermination. It’s an existential crisis not only for the dynasty but also for the innumerable parasites that live off the dynasty, be it in academia, art, culture, bureaucracy, legal fraternity and, most important, the fourth estate. Hence one can expect a concerted attack on a sustained basis by the various arms that draw sustenance from the Family.
The TINA factor and a disjointed opposition would be an insurmountable challenge. The existential crisis grips family run parties and fiefdoms too. Exploiting the fissures was an art mastered by the Congress. But now BJP seems to have bested the master in every aspect of ‘dirty politics’.

Perfect analysis. “It’s an existential crisis not only for the dynasty but also for the innumerable parasites that live off the dynasty, be it in academia, art, culture, bureaucracy, legal fraternity and, most important, the fourth estate. Hence one can expect a concerted attack on a sustained basis by the various arms that draw sustenance from the Family.”

Shekhar sir, I like your saying. It is not bad to be your cheekiself while taking on the grand uncles and aunties. It may even be beneficial to sneak through one’s inner puppu. Not only on The Floor. In Media Houses too!

I for one think that in your media journey, you have long since joined the club of grand uncles. So, beginning this essay, are you trying to project your cheekiself and puppy’s winks?

Watching Rahul at the non-confidence debate was like watching an inspiring black and white cinema with a story line and messages for the audience to pick, emerging as the hero taking the political leadership by the horn and winning sympathy with creative thought out theatrics giving his best shots acknowledging and living with the Pappu image winning a juvenile award for his sincere attempt, providing moral support to the TDP and the opposition as a whole, projecting himself as the Pan India opposition leader, with philosophical aim of converting one and all into Congressmen as the party for all Indians and its legacy of the freedom struggle and the democratic values.

Hope his rating goes up a notch upstairs, although may yet have a long way to go, moving ahead step by step winning the Karnataka battle, and moving towards Delhi, the vote of non-confidence presentation an in-basket exercise, Modi having yet to be alert and not taking Rahul-Congress and the Opposition for granted, making a detailed attempt point by point not taking any chance, while not answering any questions raised directly with accountability, hiding behind international secrecy pacts, jobs conceptually created in the informal sector not having real statistics to quote with all the expertise of the Neethi Ayog and Economic Advisors etc.

The opposition needs to have continuous sustainable commitment to opposition unity based on secular values and development agenda, not remaining opportunistic depending on who wins 2019, and changing sides alike Nitishkumar to have a sustainable political career by hook or by crook which becomes uninspiring for staking national leadership.

Will have to watch how the opposition keeps up the debates in the parliament making creative contributions, not getting demoralised on the felt loss from the vote of no-confidence motion.

BJP Governments need to demonstrate their moral and political commitment to curb vigilantism, mob lynching hiking effectiveness of non-political policing, the central govt too taking effective responsibility not delegating it to states and merely telephoning to learn what has happened – the Party President too need to exercise his effective moral influence on the cadres taking a strict stand each time and displacing those who garland the lynchers, not trying to protect Yedurappa compulsively time and again

– BJP no more a party with difference and values based as ineffectively envisioned in the Vajpayee era, being helpless in matters of Raj Dharma, and RSS too not able to have any moral cultural hindu influence of peacefulness away from non-violence, confused amidst krantikari politics turning into lynching, the negative influence of the Lathi training or national moral-cultural impact possibly turning into negative muscle power for political gains projecting oneself as Hindu party for sustaining hindu vote bank sans the Dalits, except for the master stroke of elevating President Kovind or Abdul Kalam for that matter, suiting the constitutional architecture to gain credibility, while also invoking Gandhi, Sardar, Lal Bahadur etc.

PM Modi has survived the N0-confidence Vote, perhaps not confident about during the previous budget session, using AIDMK disruptions as a political strategy, the chair too obliging within the so called constitutional framework and precedents and creativity, claiming to be non rubber-stamp.

Rahul Gandhi and the Opposition has lost one key battle, while need to prepare well to win the war through sustained unity and political strategy under unified collective leadership and responsibility not playing games with each other, while people will decide on jobs, inflation, vigilantism, lynching, demonetisation, GST, bullet train, doklam, etc etc, while one is smart to polarise and win votes to which the people have fallen a trap to out of fear and getting mesmerised with electoral promises and tokenism while capitalising with the Industrialists, having a sustainable winning electoral economic formula, whether ethical or not, falling the Babri Masjid, building on the Majoritarian support needed in constitutional political arithmetic, alike match-fixing, alike the 1984 or 2002 riots.

RSS-BJP have surged ahead, and the people and opposition will have to wait till reaching the point of diminishing returns, which is possible as seen in the various by-polls in Gorakhpur, Kairana, etc etc.

Rahul will have to live his hugs for the people, through an inspired personality profile, apart from remaining one time political theatrics, not overlearning politics same time alike Rajiv Gandhi, retaining one’s values, ethics and innocence for an inspired leadership profile alike Lal Bahadur Shastri, coupled with strategic thinking, wisdom and being an unifying force with political influencing skills and national governance, and working out master-strokes alike Sonia Gandhi hosting ManMohanSingh as the PM.

Morarji Desai despite all his values system, could not sustain his chair enabling do sustainable good for the people, while the likes of Chaudhary Charan Singh were overambitious to topple the dream Janta Govt, reducing commodity prices for the commonman, which Modi Govt has not been able to do? Food and fuel and rail prices going up day by day as if there are no economic or political solutions under the underlying capitalistic political economics.

Rahul Gandhi and the opposition need to sustain their personal confidence and commitment towards secular politics and good governance for welfare of the people and national prosperity, through the party leadership cadres, through creative Agenda, complex political game amidst ambitious party leaders, while Mahatma Gandhi was able to keep the flock together through his moral force, while one need to search for unifying margdarshak force discovering another ManMohanSingh of the moment from within or outside.

It would be wise for the opposition not to make it a presidential Rahul vs Modi contest. Keep it a sum of states fight, each regional party – which is also what the Congress has become – holding its turf, unity or alliance to the extent of fielding common candidates. The question of leadership should be addressed only after the votes have been counted.

Shekhar Gupta is becoming increasingly irrelevant. To see what he claims to have seen and inferred that Rahul, the manchild, gave a knockout blow to Modi in yesterdays debate requires a special, if terribly warped, faculty. All that will now happen is for Mamata, Mayawati and Akhilesh to sharpen their knives against him in the battle for leadership of the combined opposition if, and when, it gets clobbered. I can see them asking him mockingly, ” Was that the best you could do, Pappu? Go have some coke and keep motivating yourself with more ‘Daro Mats’. Not now. not ever. “

A note — Modi expected (I thought overconfidently, and reduced the at-tops number by 33) support of 314 MPs (I doubt he included the utter-junk ADMK in the reckoning — but their 37 did vote to defeat the motion thumpingly) and actually (to my utter surprise, given that it broke the trend of expected consequences of his December 2014 failure ) got support of 11 more; the knockout-blows were delivered to CBN first (deservingly — though he’ll probably salvage himself and retain CM-ship of AP) and Ahaziah (would have been only collateral, but he speechified and got it full-on).

Rahul has a definite plan & he will unveil it when time comes. What it will be & how it will be will definitely surprise many, the same way he did it in Parliament. And the strategy will not be a small range one, but a long range plan, so that the atmosphere of hate, violence, murder, lynching, anti-poor attitude etc will fade away into thin air.

Thanks the Pappu , the Lok Sabha floor was made into a LOL Sabha . … what is their to analyse so seriously in what Pappu did . He is a man child with limited intellect , so doing what he did remains the only option to stay relevant in front of political giants like Modi .

By his hug and his wink, Rahul has been a clear winner of this battle of eyeballs and whasapp memes. The ghastly seriousness by which the nation is being run, with soft pedalling of lynching and persecution at convenience, will bring the current government down. It would be much better if the Modi government comes back riding on crutches of the other parties. Probably that is the only way lelft to get the current ruling party to be less arrogant and to see sense

Point made by Gupta, Rahul Gandhi is only President of Congress now due to being a “mama’s-boy” like evil king Ahaziah (evil due mostly to influence of his ultra-evil mum Athaliah, an apt analogue of the Eytie widow), and even more of a waste-candidate than that king!

There is a lot to be read in between the lines following this July,20 no-confidence motion tale !
There is no denying the fact that Congress now under the stewardship of Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi did succeed in hijacking TDP’s No-Confidence Motion agenda to ultimately steal the show hogging the headlines and limelight in the bargain !

Very objectively and keenly observing Congress’s functioning now, there is a sea change in its policy planning and execution following the instant-timely successful strategical outcome of its smart move to thwart NaMo-Amit Shah all powerful BJP duo’s bid to grab power in Karnataka by hook or crook in wake of Karnataka Assembly Poll Results on May,15 Saga! For Congress, this development proved to be a turning point offering it a lot of impetus whereas this Karnataka episode came as a shock to the invincibility spree of NaMo- Shah puncturing their states power capturing baloon !

Barring few blemishes and uppish shots in the air of the Captain Rahul Gandhi, the July,20 day’s honours ultimately belonged to Congress in this second round in form of No- Confidence Motion game too ! Had Rahul come forward with Congress Party’s alternative blueprint of programme and policies to counter NaMo government’s gross failures and blunders on various fronts, it could have made more difference ! Rahul Gandhi did come very well prepared to the Lok Sabha premises with some new and innovative tricks up his sleeves during this show !

NaMo, the master craftsman of oratory, rhetorics and eloquence did amuse creating fun and frolic but he miserably failed to impress and convince on issues and burning problems concerning the nation in question ! His replies were without any rhyme or reason wanting in substance, just to mention his one reply for example in debate on issue of unemployment, it was very hollow just beating about the bush presenting four wheeler sales data in favour of his argument ! His replies were found wanting in maturity, vision, logic and facts !
On the one hand, NaMo has been singing tunes of Congress Mukt Bharat(Congress Free India) all these years but on the other hand, he devoted bulk of his time remembering Congress Party in his replies in the debate as if he is haunted day and night by Congress and its leaders ! It all should have appeared very amusing to the Congress’ ears and Congress succeeded in its strategy of regaining focus !

Unlike 2014 Lok Sabha Polls, NaMo’s art and magic of oration is not going to work in 2019 because he now very badly stands exposed !
Many people very frankly are overheard saying that they switch off their TVs when they find NaMo speaking !

There is a striking similarity in one prominent aspect between PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi. I have found both of them lacking in
self-belief even after reaching at the top ! NaMo after having been in the august office of the Prime Minister for the past more than four years believes as well as behaves himself as a leader of the opposition not as the Prime Minister. Many a times, he has been found forgetting that he is the Prime Minister conducting himself as a leader of the opposition,

Then Rahul Gandhi while winking in the debate on No-Confidence Motion on July, 20 he forgot that he is now the President of the
more than Century Old The Indian National Congress Party believing that he is just a young MP from Amethi ! Undoubtedly, he needs too much to improve if wishes to prove his mettle in the arena of both politics and electoral politics !
He should not forget at all that he has to outsmart the invincible duo of NaMo-Amit Shah at the time of hustings ! He has to cover a long journey and distance in politics and electoral politics, miles and miles to go before slumber and relaxing !

Some refreshing piece. Now a days I even shun to watch indian english news channels almos tboot licking Modi. Republic tV goes over board and jumps into the ocean every single day. Arnob goswami has become unbearable. If by mistake you turn on that channels speakers are going to get spoiled and TV might even get acrack as he screams and howls his paens of Modi and vulgar abuses against opposition. Only a few years ago he was shouting about Mass murders of Modi. Probably Modi managed to get some Super dirt on Arnob and arnob is shivering in his pants even while sleeping. This piece gives some relief that Indian english news media has atleast 0.0001 chance of survival and not going to die like a mad dog which is not fed well by its master Modi.

(i) In what way Rahul Gandhi and his Congress can provide a real challenge to Narendra Modi & BJP? Congress party has been considerably weakened, as rightly pointed out in this article and it is actually facing a survival crisis. Citizens’ view is that if Rahul Gandhi can prove that his party is really fighting for all communities and not just for minorities, his party has no future. (ii) We have to just estimate or guess how many Lok Sabha seats Congress will be able to win twelve states listed here: (1) Andhra Pradesh (2) Bihar (3) Chhattisgarh (4) Gujarat (5) Jharkhand, (6) Kerala (7) Punjab (8) Odisha (9)Tamil Nadu (10) Telangana (11) Uttar Pradesh and (12) West Bengal. My guess is that Congress may not even win 30 Lok Sabha seats in all 12 states together. Congress can hope to win 50-60 Lok Sabha seats mainly in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Karnataka. This means a total of 80 to 90 Lok Sabha seats. What kind of a challenge this will be to BJP & Narendra Modi?

The government by allowing no confidence motion to be moved in Lok Sabha has at least saved the present parliamentary session from wasting. But it proves that the government could save the previous session as well by doing so during last session. The blame stands proved.